[A cold wind blows through the backyard. Abhii and Shivay stand in silence, staring at the freshly dug grave.]
shivay
It wasn’t supposed to end like this…
Abhiii
…I made the call. And now we live with it.
[Pihu, Dev, and Ashi watch from the house, their faces heavy with emotions—anger, grief, regret. No one speaks.]
[FLASHBACK – The Night of the Scream]
Unknown voice
(weak, desperate): P-please… don’t leave me…
[The figure outside trembles in pain, their face barely visible through the dim light.]
ashi
Abhii, we can’t just stand here!
Dev
If we don’t decide now, they’ll die!
[Abhii clenches his fists. His heartbeat pounds in his ears.]
System
To allow entry, grant citizenship. Citizenship can be revoked at any time, forcibly removing them from the territory.
Abhii (thinking): So I have control. If they’re dangerous, I can kick them out… but what if it’s too late by then?
His fingers twitch. He looks at the others—Pihu’s teary eyes, Ashi’s pleading face, Shivay’s cold stare, Dev’s clenched jaw.]
Abhiii
…No one moves until I say
[The figure outside lets out another weak sob. And then—BOOM!—something crashes in the distance.]
shivay
What was that?!
[They all turn toward the street, where a shadow moves between the wreckage of abandoned cars. Eyes. Too many eyes. Watching them.]
[FLASHBACK ENDS – BACK TO PRESENT]
[Abhii stares at the grave. His nails dig into his palms.]
Abhiii
(whispers): Was it the right choice…?
Abhii granted citizenship to the desperate stranger, believing she could be saved, but fate had already taken its toll. By the second night, her condition had worsened beyond repair, and she quietly slipped away under the shroud of darkness. The safehouse fell silent with grief as her loss struck a deep, unhealing wound in all their hearts. Abhii’s decision, though made with hope, became a heavy burden of regret that no command could reverse. In that cruel reality, even a promise of sanctuary could not outpace the relentless march of time.
Comments
Vicki-ying
Can't stop thinking about it.
2025-02-26
3